The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-11-18

"Oh, l known" cried Manel. "Type-writ-
tdg and stenography! l um sure could
easily learn them, if-only," she added,
with an apprehensive shadow coming into her
face, II shouldn't like to undertake any occu-
patton, Miss Crutchett, which would take
me permanently away from my home"
"You needn't worry" said Miss Crutchett,
in crisp, brisk way she had. "Your work
can all be done at home"
rs it easy ?" eagerly questioned Mabel.
"Well, yes-after you have once learned the
trade"
"Oh, it's something that I've got to learn,
then ?" hestated Mrs. Verinder.
Exactly 1t is something that you've got
to learn"
"And how much can earn by it?"
"Well, let me see, thoughlfully remarked
Miss Crutchett. Il should think you might
make as much as twenty-five dollars a
month. Perhaps more"
"And be at home all the time No car fare,
no perpetual new boots and gloves, no
lunches to buye"
Even so" beamed Miss Crutchett.
Mabel flung her book into the air and deft-
ly caught it again, with little cry of de-
| light.
"Tell me what it is" she coaxed. Don't,
for PHYS sake, keep me waiting"
| Hiss STuWutlt SAT ChItuly uOWu, uulleu
her bonnet strings, took off her gloves and
rolled them neatly up, each within the other,
then she gave her spectacles an extra polish
and took two fat little volumes out of her
| pocket.
Here are your textbooks" said she.
master the contents of these, and your trade
is learned p
| Mabel made feverish snatch at the books
| One was "a Complete House Book :" the
otlIer was 1.-THE Manual of Cookery"
Her countenance fell.
Miss Crutchett," she cried, "you are max
ing game of me-"
Not in the least" said Miss Crutchett
| III mean every word that say, and l am
ready to prove it. There is no way in which
a wife can help her husband so satisfactorily
and thoroughly as in the details of home life
Take my advice, Mabel. Go down stairs and
discharge that inefficient, careless servant of
yours, who is sinfully spelling good food,
and feeding swarm of idle beggars at your
back door, while you are ordering expensive
meals from the nearest restaurant. There
isn't man living whose income could stand
the perpetual drain of wasteful servants and
a neglectful wife,"
"Neglectful |" cried Mabel, with red bar
| rising to her forehead.
"Ask yourself, my dear, if / haven't used
the right word" composedly retorted Miss
Crutchett. "And here you are, pining to go
out in the world and earn money TO help
your husband, when you could help him a
thousand times more womanly and efficiently
by making the most of the money that he
earns, and by surrounding him with all the
best and sweetest influences ofhome. Now,
my dear, can read what is working on your
heart, know perfectly well that you are
wondering why the meddling little old maid
doesn't mind her own business"
No, am notw truthfully cried out
Mabel
"But l think you arc sensible enough"
went on Mis- Crutchett, Ito perceive the
truth of what have been saying. have
been looking around your kitchen, and jot-
ting down in my Observation-Disclosures a few
facts and figures. Discharge your useless and
extravagant maid. Save, to begin with, the
fourteen dollars month which represent her
sent her board save the not-to-be-expressed
sum of her waste, her breakage, her careless
ness, her untidiness. Typhoid fever and
diphtheria rise out of just such uncleanly
corners as find in your kitchen and pantry.
Purify the place at once; avoid doctors bills
shut the doors on druggists. Housekeeping
can be one of the fine arts 1t should be so.
What you save you earn. And in addition
to all this, your husbands house is made
beautiful and home-like. Now, my dear, /
don't know much about careers, but in my
eyes no career could be more attractive,
more necessary, in fact, than this. Will you
give it q trial, Mahel?"
"Yes," said Mabel, in low voice, 81 will
give it trial IL don't know how it is,
but l never thought of all these things
before, Miss Crutchett."
"There must be beginning to everything,
my DEAR" said the old lady, gently stroking
the sunny braids Of Mabel's down dropping
head "and you are as yet but novice in
life's journey"
Mabel Vernder thought it all over She
decided TO take her eccentric old friends ad-
vice, and ut the end of the first month, she
added up the debt and credit accounts Of the
household.
"Victoryw she cried II have earned, or
saved-or both-forty dollars this month by
doing my housekeeping. "Tve had every
thing in exquisite order and the same sup
plies go twice as far as they did in Chrstine's
time. And, oh, have enjoyed it so much
What do care for type-writing and legal
copying, and authorship, and decorative
art? I've found career that is worth dozen
of them"
"And really" said Charley "do you know
May is the jolliest little housekecper going?
And my Aunt Selma says it does her good
TO see her beating eggs and sugar, and count
ing the spoons and napkin rings"
Mabel smiled and colored. She would not
have owned it for the world, but the appro-
baton of Charleys Aunt Selma signified q
great deal 10 her.-SdtuTdlay Night.